1. Field of the Present Disclosure
This disclosure relates generally to traffic control apparatus and more particularly to a traffic cone made of two parts, a base of compressed tire fragments and a cone made of a plastic material or plastersol co-molded with the base such that the cone is mechanically engaged with the base.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Flamingo et al, 20060016383, discloses a traffic cone system including a base, a sleeve, and a retainer. The retainer substantially secures the sleeve relative to the base. A member such as a spring may be inserted into the sleeve make the sleeve stand upright. The member may act in concert with the retainer to secure the sleeve relative to the base. The system may be used to refurbish damaged traffic cones or may otherwise be retrofitted to existing traffic cone components. The system may alternatively be used to build new cones.
Chen, U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,553, discloses a traffic cone and in particular one which includes a conical body having a top, a flexible bag having an upper mouth, an annular member mounted on the mouth of the flexible bag and having an outer wall and an inner wall between which there is a recessed wall portion adapted to engage the top of the conical body, whereby the flexible bag may be expanded in the conical body to receive water, sand, earth, rock, or the like, so as to enable the conical body to stand firmly on the ground when in use and the traffic cone may be piled up on another one when not in use.
Signorelli, U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,657, discloses a safety or traffic marker capable of providing a continuous physical border between two locations. A housing, or one of several adapters, are employed in a conventional traffic cone to dispense an elongated strip of tape therefrom. In one embodiment, the housing is physically incorporated into the interior of the marker, and is adapted for easy insertion and removal of a tape or safety material dispenser. In order to achieve easy insertion of the tape dispenser into the housing, the upper portion of the marker is split into separable sections. Since the marker is fabricated from a deformable material, the upper portion can be manually separated into an opened position for insertion of the tape dispenser therein. Hook and loop fasteners may be used to fasten together the two sections into a closed position. Adapters may also be used in conjunction with conventional traffic markers for creating a continuous physical border between two or more locations.
Beard, U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,334, discloses a traffic marker including an upright cone-shaped member and a base. Two orifices are provided on the upper end of the cone-shaped member and on opposite sides thereof. A bracket is provided having an interior portion and an exterior portion. The bracket is operable to be inserted through the orifice such that the distal end of the interior portion contacts the interior surface of the cone-shaped member at a point. An orifice is disposed in the interior member through which a flag can be inserted. The flag is inserted through the orifice on the opposite side of the cone-shape member through the orifice to contact the opposite sides of the interior surface of the cone at a point.
Wells, U.S. Pat. No. 4,466,376, discloses a foldable traffic warning cone utilizing a first panel of generally fan shape having triangular faces joined at adjacent sides along face folding lines. The first panel has opposite free sides which interconnect to fold the first panel into an upright polygon. The triangular faces of the first panel have bottom ends with extending flaps which cooperate with a second panel having a number of sides commensurate to the number of faces on the first panel and which forms a base for the first panel. The second panel has wings extending outwardly from each of the sides and which are foldable to provide a wall extending about the base. The wings also trap the flaps and thereby connect the upright polygon and the base together. The warning cone can be selectively folded and unfolded for use and storage.
Cambell, U.S. Pat. No. 4,197,807, discloses a collapsible traffic cone marker characterized by a cylindrical base portion having one open face, an upwardly extending spiral reflective marker capable of collapsing and nesting within the base portion, and a bolt mechanism which can retain the spiral reflector within the casing when actuated or when released can allow the spiral spring to extend upwardly thereby approximating a conventional conical traffic marker.
The related art described above discloses various traffic cone devices. However, the prior art fails to disclose a traffic cone fabricated by co-injection or flow coating of a cone upper portion with a precise or molded base portion. The present disclosure distinguishes over the prior art providing heretofore unknown advantages as described in the following summary.